Indian-Style Baked Eggs Florentine

Eggs Florentine is one of those breakfast classics that have inspired countless variations upon the simple theme of a cooked egg topped with a savory sauce and sitting on a small bed of cooked spinach. Well, count me in for another experiment, and I can honestly say that this Easter Sunday breakfast was not just the best Eggs Florentine I've ever had but probably one of the tastiest breakfasts I've ever made. Best of all, it takes very little time to prepare, especially if you make the lightly spiced but beautifully fragrant creamed spinach that forms the Indian-style base of these eggs Florentine the night before. Even so, the spiced creamed spinach takes only 20 minutes to prepare and cook.

You will need eight 4-ounce ramekins or custard cups to make these baked eggs Florentine, or you can use four larger gratin dishes and divide the same ingredients four ways instead of eight. They are best served right out of the oven, but warn your diners that they are very hot indeed, and a few moments of cooling might spare them a scalded tongue!

Indian-Style Baked Eggs Florentine

Recipe by Lisa Turner Published on March 25, 2008 An Indian-style update on the classic Eggs Florentine with homemade spiced creamed spinach — a simple but stunning and extraordinarily delicious breakfast Preparation: 10 minutes Cooking time: 17 to 20 minutes Print this recipe Ingredients: butter 1 cup spiced creamed spinach 8 large eggs sea salt fresh ground black pepper 4 oz (115 g) sharp old Cheddar, thinly sliced 1/4 cup bread crumbs cayenne Instructions: Lightly grease 8 ramekins or custard cups with butter and preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the ramekins on a baking tray. Spoon 2 tablespoons of the spiced creamed spinach in the bottom of each ramekin. Break an egg into a saucer or cup, and slide the egg into a prepared cup. Repeat with each of the remaining eggs, putting one egg into each ramekin. Sprinkle each cup with a little salt and fresh ground black pepper, and slide the baking tray into the oven. Bake for 12 minutes. Remove the tray from the oven and carefully lay slices of the cheddar cheese on top of each egg. Sprinkle the tops with 1/2 tablespoon of bread crumbs and a pinch of cayenne, and return the tray to the oven. Bake for 5 minutes longer, until the egg whites are set, and up to 10 minutes if you prefer the yolks to be set as well. The cheese should be bubbling, and the bread crumbs browned. Very carefully transfer the ramekins to a plate and serve with a fork or spoon. Makes 8 servings